Genesis 25:34 “So Esau despised his birthright” (NIV). Observation: Esau and his brother Jacob were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. As the first-born, Esau had a natural birthright to receive Isaac’s estate, but Esau one day returned home famished and agreed to...

Genesis 24:12 “Then he prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.’ ” Observation: Sarah had died, and Abraham was nearing the end of his life. The one thing he had yet to do was to secure a wife for his...

Genesis 20:7 “Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you” (NIV). Observation: Twice, Abraham had lied about his relationship with Sarah, this time to Abimelech, the pagan king of Gerar. Sarah was technically Abraham’s half-sister, having...

Genesis 19:8 “Don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof” (NIV). Observation: By these words, Lot was trying to protect two male houseguests from marauding homosexuals who had the place surrounded, demanding to have their way...

Genesis 15:8 “But Abram said, ‘O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?’” (NIV). Observation: Abram and God were in a conversation that would be astonishing were it not so commonplace with them. God had just promised him “great reward,” and...

Genesis 13:8–9 “So Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strife between you and me … for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right, or if to the right, then I will go to the left.’”...

Genesis 9:22–23 “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness” (NIV). Observation:...

Genesis 3:7 “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” Observation: Sin had been firmly established through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Having eaten from...

Genesis 1:1  “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Observation: God’s Book is off to a good start, indeed! In these ten first words it tells us the when, who, and what of how we came to be. It is worth noting a few things with a bit more care than...

1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up so when I come no collection will have to be made” (NIV). Observation: Paul’s request was consistent with what he also asked of...